Cowboys Like To Party
by lyndsielopez14
Summary: Paul Levesque is number 82 on the Dallas Cowboys and Steph just turned 21. Drinking too much leads to trouble.
1. What Happened First

**_Author Note _Okay, I know its bad, I haven't ever finished a story and I just keep staring new ones. I'm TRYING!! I have asked for help on how to end on and I have ways now. I plan on finishing two of them so far and am so lost on others I need to reread them. The reason I keep getting ideas for new ones is because to television. And as long as that exists, I will always have a new storyline. But, thanks for reading. Love Lyndsie**

"Go, go, go!" People yelled as football star, Paul Levesque, sucked down a large, green margarita. It was his fifth one and he was getting totally sloshed.

I sat at a round table with my friends, Torrie, Mickie, and Stacy at Webb's Bar & Grill. A small place neighboring Texas Stadium, it was where the football players went after winning a game.

I quietly finished my warm glass of brandy and eggnog and got up, "I have to go to the bathroom to change 'something'." I made the quote marks with my fingers and walked away, showing off number 82, and 'Levesque' on the back of my football jersey. I was wearing a tank top, a thermal shirt, and a sweatshirt underneath the jersey, but I was still freezing cold. I was walking towards the bathroom with my head down and the next thing I knew, I was face up towards the ceiling with superior weight on top of me.

"I'm really sorry miss." The man I daydreamed of being in bed with stood over me, trying not to fall down again, he had the handle of the men's bathroom clasped in one hand and holding the other out to me, "let me help you up."

I took his hand and pulled, getting a slight head-rush in the mix, "I wasn't paying attention to where I was walking. I'm sorry." I looked down at my brand-new jersey, "damnit, you spilled margarita on my new shirt." I wiped it off as best I could with my hand, "maybe it'll wash off in the sink."

"Hey, I can get you a new one. It's my jersey in the first place." He smiled at me, "and I think you need to wear on of those without anything underneath, cause' baby, you look hot with that thing on."

I pretended to laugh it off like nothing happened, and then he turned me around, "you're the one that is sitting in the corner with your three friends drinking eggnog, huh? Let me buy you a drink." He followed me to the front of the bar, "you can have anything you want." He whispered in my ear.

I looked up and anxiously wished I had used the bathroom. I was having period issues and if I waited any longer it was gonna get worse, "um, Mr. Levesque, can I use the bathroom real quick, I'd like the same thing I was having before, warm eggnog and brandy with a little bit of nutmeg." I ran back to the hallway and into the bathroom door.

The feeling of relief hit me as I opened the door, "oh, there you are, sorry I had to go." I took the drink from his hand and walked towards my table, only being stopped by his hand on my shoulder and leaned over to whisper, "tell your friends to come over here to the team party."

I nodded and motioned for them to move, "come on, 'Paul Levesque' told me to tell you guys to come over here with us." I came towards Paul and as soon as he saw me, he put his arm around me sweetly, "these are my best friends, Mickie, Torrie and Stacy."

He smiled at them, "hi girls." He stumbled, using me to hold himself up, "hang out with us, these are my teammates, this is Dave Bautista, Shawn Michaels, John Cena, Randy Orton, Chris Jericho, Mark Henry, John Layfield, Adam Copeland, and Kurt Angle, as you all probably know." He grinned down at me, "I got a limo waiting to take me to my hotel, wanna come with me?"

I was speechless from the offer. I couldn't believe he had just asked me to come to his hotel with him. This was the man I had the biggest crush on in the world. I've had a crush on him ever since he began playing when I was fifteen. Now this was my first holiday season of being 21 and so far, it was going great, then I thought about something, "oh, I can't, I mean, well, I just probably shouldn't. I'm having some monthly issues and it would be totally gross."

He kissed my neck, then my earlobe, "we can work around that I'm sure." He pulled me towards the door, "hey, guys, I'm going back to the hotel. I'll see you in the morning." I waved goodbye to my friends, who were talking with some of the players.


	2. Dreaming

He held my purse as I got into the white limo. Then he got in and closed the door, "so, you like football I guess, right?" He asked, trying to make conversation.

I nodded, holding my purse tightly. I could feel a leak onto my pants, even though I had just changed, "how long is it gonna take for us to get there."

"Oh, maybe a few minutes. It's right around the block." He took a glass from the counter in front and filled it with a bottle of water.

I watched contently, "how much did you drink tonight?" I asked, " I know you're trying to dilute the amount of alcohol with water, and that doesn't work, as a matter of fact, you'll feel worse if you drink water. Eat bread."

He threw the empty bottle at the driver window, "driver, I need you to take me to a liquor store or something. I need to buy bread and milk." He held the glass of water as if it was dirty, then opened the window, throwing the water outside, "it should be okay, we were stopped." He laughed when he saw my facial expression, "the asphalt said it was thirsty." I continued to glare at him, "anyway, I had like six or seven margaritas and three or four shots of straight Patron."

"Oh wow, that's like a whole loaf of bread right there." I chewed my fingernail, "I really need to get to a bathroom before you end up paying to get the limo seat cleaned."

He nodded, "driver, stop the car at this light, I know there's a supermarket right there. We really need to go in there." He sat forward, "does that mean you need pants too?"

I shrugged, "probably, I don't know. I knew I shouldn't have come with you. This was gonna get in the way." I threw my purse at the glass counter, "I hate life."

He snickered from his seat, "don't we all." He opened the door and got out in the parking lot of a Walmart Supercenter, "look, we can get pants, bread, cheap milk, and a bathroom all in one place." He opened the cars trunk and put a beanie on his head, then removing his sweatshirt, "hopefully we can get in and out fast."

I tried to take care of things myself, but, he was drunk and stubborn with his credit card, and by the time we got up to the register, people had recognized him so we were in a hurry. He had taken me on a small shopping spree by telling me what I'd look hot in and what to avoid. I kept getting this gut feeling that I'd be regretting everything in the morning.

He had the biggest hotel room I'd ever seen, it was a suite on the top floor, the floor number being 25. He slammed the door behind us, sighing expectantly, "this is the first time I've been in here. Its nice huh?" He helped me take my jersey and sweatshirt off, "remind me in the morning to get you a new one because of the margarita stain." He threw my clothes into the living room of the suite, "I'll be right back." He opened the door and walked out into the hotel hallway, leaving me alone in the room.

I walked around the big room in disbelief. I kept telling myself I was dreaming and so I pinched myself several times, but nothing happened. I was really in Paul Levesque's room, I had been in his arms earlier and he spent a load of money on me. There was an actual living room in here, and a separate bedroom, and even a full kitchen. I opened the refrigerator and looked inside, "oh my god." I pulled my cell phone out of my purse and dialed my house, "hi dad, um, I don't think I'm coming home tonight. The girls and I got a hotel room and we'll just stay there."

"Okay, I'm back." Paul came back in the room loudly, "oh, damn, I'm sorry." He saw I was on the phone and held his hand over his mouth, "I'll be in the bedroom." He whispered and walked away.

"Who was that?" My dad asked over the phone, "that wasn't one of the girls." He yelled, "Stephanie, I told you…"

"Dad, we're in the hotel lobby still. They're getting our room ready." I closed my eyes, "don't worry dad, I'm not with a guy."

"Alright, just be careful sweetie. I love you and I don't want anything happening to you. Thank you for checking in with me and I'll see you tomorrow."

I hung the phone up and carefully put it on the counter, "Paul, I'm off the phone." I flirtatiously smiled when he came out of the room without his shirt, "nice bruises."

"Yeah, I know. It was from the game. I got tackled and the guy got me with his helmet right here." He pointed to his ribs, "it hurts, and I'm sure it'll get bigger." He kissed me and immediately shoved his hand up my shirt.

"I don't want to touch you because I might get you right there." I put my arms around his neck as he picked me up.

"Don't worry about it, you can't hurt me." I lied on the king-sized bed, him above me caressing me. He kissed my cheeks, down to my neck and almost my chest. He took my shirt off and threw it on the chair in the corner. I kicked my shoes off and guided him as he removed my jeans.

"Hurry up already." I sat up as he undressed himself, "Paul, how can we do this? I'm on my monthly thing. This isn't gonna work, I can't do this today." I sat up and put my hand on my forehead, "I think I'll call my brother and he can take me home." I shook my head and walked out of the room.

"Honey, wait, there is a way. Come on, I know you…" he ran after me with a pillow covering everything from his lower stomach to his knees, "baby, come back to the room."

I watched him, smiling at the pillow, "fine, but I still don't get how. You can't use the place you'd need." I came back to the room followed by Paul, "I trust you, you'll wrap up right?"

He shrugged, "sure, I mean, yeah. Even though you can't get pregnant this way." He gently pushed me onto the bed, "all you have to do is get on your hands and knees."

I did as he said and crawled around on the cover, "I can't believe I'm gonna let this happen." I whined as I felt an uncomfortable presence.


	3. Next Morning

I opened my eyes and immediately squeezed them shut, "oh my god." I moved my hand up to my forehead, feeling someone very close behind me.

"Hangover?" A familiar male voice asked behind me. His arm was draped across my unclothed stomach.

At first I rested my hand on top of his, then my bad instinct kicked in, "who the fuck are you?" I screamed, making it out of the bed as fast as I could.

"I'm the guy with the last name and number that matches your football jersey." He sat up and smiled, "who are you?" He rubbed his eyes and fixed his shoulder-length blonde hair.

"You have got to be fuckin' kidding me, I'm in a hotel room with Paul Levesque?" I laughed, "pinch me so I can wake up." I held out my arm.

"Usually in dreams you don't get to see the parts you would want to see." He got up and walked towards me, "I'll pinch you, but I don't think anything will happen." He kissed me and pinched me in the ass, "see, you're awake. Don't worry I get that a lot."

I looked down, "I still can't believe this happened. Where did I meet you, and how did we sleep together?" I let him kiss my neck, feeling his hard-on on my leg, "nice, Paul, I make you that excited?"

"Oh yeah." He smirked, his hand cupping my breast, "gimme a couple more times, I mean we got all morning and afternoon." He turned me around and pushed me towards the bathroom, "ever done it in the shower?" He caressed my shoulder and neck.

I stopped myself from walking, "I can't do this anymore. I need to use the bathroom and I don't have what I need to keep everything okay." I collapsed onto the cold wall beside us crying heavily, "I always told myself I would wait until I was married. And I lied to myself, and my parents. I'll bet they're calling my friends and asking where I am."

He helped me up and onto the bed, "well, I could get my friend's wife to get you something. Or I'll get you something." He kissed my lips, "you look beautiful right now." He tried to kiss me again but I turned my head, "baby, what do you need?"

"I need a fucking box of tampons and new underwear." I crossed my arms tightly, "I can't stand seeing myself naked, because I'm fat."

"You aren't fat baby." He looked down at himself, "I ain't exactly fit here." He put his hand over his package, "maybe I should cover up a bit."

"We went shopping last night and you did buy me, well, some sort of undergarment. I might have underwear in the bag too, right?" I put my bra on and wrapped my waist with a towel, "I'll be right back."

When I came back, he was in the bathroom almost shaving, "oh, did you find something?" He asked, seeing me crying again, "what's wrong now?"

"There is no way in hell I am wearing this in public." I held up the outfits he bought me the night before, "I know I liked them last night, but, wow, I must've been really fucked up. I'll either take them back or pay you for them." I threw the clothes on the floor, "I really can't wear the underwear." I pulled out two thongs from the pile, one being red and full of glittery decoration and the other was the same, just it was hot pink, "Paul, I can't wear this."

"I can get you some tampons or whatever. Don't worry, I'll be right back. I'm gonna go ask Mark's wife Tania if she has any." He walked out of the room and out the hotel door.

I scanned the hotel, opening the refrigerator and grabbing a bottle of water. The door opened and an African-American woman came in, smiling, "hi, you must me Stephanie, I'm Tania, I'm Mark's wife." She handed me a small plastic bag, "Paul said you needed these."

"Oh thank you so much." I was only wearing a pair of sweats and my bra, but looking at her, who was wearing a black bikini and a small sarong, "I can't thank you enough." I put the bottle down and hugged her.


	4. Later On

I watched Paul get ready for a press conference in the hotel room. He was looking in the mirror as he wrapped hit tie around his neck, "so am I allowed to go with you, or, no?" I asked, trying to cover my stomach, "this top is too short."

He smiled at me, "I guess you could come with me. I always need someone to talk to." He hugged me and kissed my cheek, "you have to wear something formal though. And I don't think we have time to go to your house since you said you don't want your dad to know you're with me." He ran his fingers through my hair as he slipped his tongue in my mouth, "you know, you never answered me when I asked who you were. What's your name?"

"I'm Stephanie and I have to be like your biggest female fan, and not just because you're hot." I leaned in and kissed him again, "I like the way you play football. And because you're really hot, but that doesn't have a lot to do with it."

"Steph, you can change in the limo. I've done it before. If I tell Angelo I'm changing he won't look?" He took me on his arm and we went into the elevator, making out the whole ride down, "so, since we left a little early, we can do a little more clothes shopping for you." He tapped his finger on my nose, "do you still have a hangover now you took a shower? Because I have some good medicine for that."

I shook my head, then shrugged, "I kinda have a headache, but I don't feel nauseous anymore." We came out of the elevator and walked into the lobby, in which Paul decided to put his sunglasses over his eyes, "I don't see how I don't make you obvious."

He smiled, "just act the way you're acting. It's going good so far." We made it out of the hotel and to the white limousine, "see, its all good now. Now, Angelo, take us to that clothes store. Steph here needs something formal. And then we can take her to get her hair and makeup done." He pulled me into a hug and kissed me on the forehead, "so what were you so upset about earlier?"

"I promised my parents that I wouldn't ever have sex until I was married. And I did, so, hopefully I can keep that a secret, if Stacy didn't go tell them I was with you." I rested my head on his sweet-smelling shoulder.

"Well, I hope your dad doesn't watch ESPN because the conference is televised. Or we can just put you in so much makeup, you won't be recognized." The driver pulled to a stop at a small, unmarked building, "don't tell anyone you've been here, because there are very few people who know what this is."

I nodded and he helped me out of the car. I didn't want to tell him but I really felt like his little ho'. I didn't like parading around on his arm all day, and then he was buying me all these clothes I didn't need, "maybe we should just forget about this and you take me home." I whispered as he put his finger to my lips.

"Hey, Katrina, I need a formal up-do for my girl here. I got like twenty minutes to get her ready. She needs clothes, her hair done, and lots of makeup." He kissed my cheek and pushed me towards the small-framed Latina woman in front of us, "thanks baby." He kissed the woman on the cheek, "take care of her."

In fifteen minutes I was all dressed up with my hair done nicely. For once, it was curly without being frizzy. She was expressing her expertise with makeup on my face. In five minutes, she was done and I looked like a cheap whore, "there you go Senorita, perfect."

Back in the limo, Paul couldn't keep his lips or hands off of me, "you didn't need to use the limo to change. But we could use the space here for other things." He put his hand up my tight skirt, pulling me towards the floor.


	5. Real Life

He fixed his jacket and tie as I fixed my skirt and hair. Outside the car doors were hundreds of people from news reporters to sleazy paparazzi, "That was great. Especially knowing people were outside." He kissed me one more time, "fix your lipstick so we can go inside, I want you to go out before me and I'll guide you in."

He reached over and knocked on my window. The driver, Angelo opened the door, holding people back, "come on Paul, Miss." He helped us as we came out, "Miss Stephanie, Paul will direct you to the door."

We sat at a table together on a stage, "Paul, I'm getting all nervous, I don't like this anymore. I feel nauseous and…" The cameraman counted down from ten and I tried not to laugh when at one, Paul put on the biggest fake smile I'd ever seen, "nevermind I guess."

"Quiet, and don't answer any questions. Pretend you don't speak English." He hung on me a little bit before talking into the microphone about last night's game.

After the conference, Paul and I made it back to his limo. I sat, staring at the floor, remembering what had happened a few hours ago., "so that went, well, right?"

"I guess if you wanna call that right." He sat forward, "Angelo, close the window, I want to have some personal time." He sat closer to me, "when are you gonna stop being on your stupid period? Because I'm only here for a week, and then, I have to go to San Diego."

"Well can I go with you? Since, you're being so nice to me now, I thought you might enjoy my company there." I unbuttoned his shirt and took his tie off, "what do you think?"

He smiled as he undid my top shirt, "I don't know baby. I know Tania is going, and I'd like you to go, but, I don't think it would work." He began laughing.

The laughing made me depressed, "you must do this with all of your girlfriends huh? I mean, you buy them things and, you just leave to go to your next game. I'll bet you're married and everything, its just nobody knows."

He shook his head, "hell no, no wives for me. I'd let you go, but it's not for fun. I have a game and practice. And then I'll have a month off to stay at my house. After my small vacation, I'll be back here and I'll see you." He pushed my head back and pressed his lips to my neck, "I guess we'll have to do it this way until you're done." He reached behind me, grabbing my rear.

At the hotel, he handed me a jersey that was completely different than the one I had, "here's the one I was wearing last night, and I'm giving it to you because of what I did to yours." He gave me the dark blue shirt", "you might want to wash it because it smells like my sweat."

I took the shirt from his hands, trying to block out the stench, "oh, shit, thank you Hunter." I gagged, "I'll put this in a plastic bag so I can take it home, and I'll still keep the other one just because it'll make me think of last night."

"Baby, how about you check in with your house and tell them you'll be home tomorrow or something. I'm sure they're worried." He put all of my clothes into two plastic bags and smiled, "I can take you home."

"No, I'll call my brother. I don't want anyone to know I was with you last night. I'll tell him I was here with the girls and they're staying and I don't want to. Or I can tell him and only him the truth, since I'm leaving wearing the same thing I wore on TV."


	6. Secrets

Friday morning was cold and rainy as he kissed me goodbye outside his limo. I had come to an unexpected liking of him as he had taken me all around town to show me where all his favorite restaurants and where he liked to shop.

He held me close to him as kissed me as the rain poured down on us, "baby, don't worry, I'll be back." His tongue went halfway down my throat, "I'm sorry I have to leave a little early, but, I promise I'll be back." He got in the backseat, "I love you."

"I love you too Paul." I stepped back as Angelo closed the door, "bye Angelo, I might be seeing you later." I waved as the car drove off. My hair and my clothes were soaking wet, and my mascara was dripping down my cheeks.

I got in my brother's Mercedes, my new heels squeaking as I repositioned myself in the leather seat, "don't tell mom or dad where I was, or who I was with. Just take me home so I can change out of these stupid wet clothes."

"Am I allowed to know all that information? How the hell am I supposed to keep a secret if I really don't know anything?" He gassed the car and it went forward out of the parking lot, "come on, you can tell me anything."

"Okay, you probably won't believe me, but in that limo was my hero, the football player, Paul Levesque. He is so cute, why do you think I haven't been home for the past week? I said I was with the girls but I haven't seen them since after the Monday night game. I went to Paul's hotel room and, well, you know. I was with him for the Dallas Cowboys press conference on ESPN on Tuesday. Did you watch it? His dress assistant put hell makeup on me so I wouldn't be recognized. I taped it, we'll watch it in my room when we get home." I buckled my seatbelt, "Monday night was great."

My brother Shane gulped, "wow Stephanie, nice. So now he's on his way to San Diego and he'll be off for a whole month. I see he bought you some new clothes, you look good." He paused, "wait, didn't you say back at home you got your monthly gift Monday morning? You were complaining to everyone about you going to the game on it. How'd you and him…you know?"

I giggled, "the other way. I can't tell you anything else, it's too weird." I folded my hands in my lap, "I couldn't sit down for a few days. Hell, I still can't sit right with how many times it happened." I embarrassedly held my hand over my face, "the time in the limo was pretty interesting, on our way to the conference."

He almost swerved off the road, "I promise you not to say anything. But I think somebody will find out soon. If mom and dad don't already know from the girls." He pulled up in front of our house, "nice job, I mean, not very many people get to fuck famous football players, especially their favorite ones."

I got out of the car and tried to go straight up to my room. As I walked in the front door, I was greeted by my mom, "Stephanie, honey, why haven't you been coming home?" She looked at me oddly, "why did you or do you have so much makeup on, and why are you dripping wet?"

I stared down at myself, "oh, I just got stuck in the rain waiting for Shane at the hotel. I'm not wearing that much makeup, the little bit I had on came off some." I scurried upstairs and slammed the door behind me.


	7. 1st Trimester

Mickie sat on the chair in my room, eyes glued to the TV. We were watching ESPN news, trying to get reviews from the game two nights before. My face lit up when Paul came on, talking about his play. The next thing we knew, singer and actress Jennifer Lopez kissed him. His hand roamed everywhere on her body, from in her hair to her thighs, "Stephanie, don't look."

"Why?" I looked up at the TV just as they walked away together, "but, he said, he, loved me." I stared down at my bed sheet, "he must say that to all of the women he picks up, I don't know why I felt somewhat special to him." A tear fell down onto my arm, "I knew he was a liar."

"Stephanie, I could've told you not to trust him when he said that. He said he loved you? When the fuck did he say that?" Mickie got up and sat next to me, "I don't wanna know what's gonna happen when he comes back."

"He's gonna die when he comes back. I'm gonna stab him with a butter knife like six thousand times." I hugged my pillow, "Mickie, I was sleeping with him for a week. And um, I know he didn't use contraception a lot because he said I couldn't get pregnant the way we were having sex. He's just another stupid man and we won't go any farther than that. He lied to me."

"Are you pregnant?" She asked, her eyebrows rose when I nodded, "okay, did you take at least two tests? The first one could've been wrong." She turned around and hugged me, "how are you gonna tell your parents, or even just your dad?"

I shook my head, "I don't know. I'm twenty-one, maybe I can say I wanted to have a baby by artificial insemination, they shouldn't ask anything weird. I've lied to them before and they didn't notice." I cried into the pillow, "the problem is, it'll take me awhile to come up with a good lie and by the time I have one, I'll probably be all fat and they'll know I'm lying."

Mickie smiled, "tell them you just wanted a baby. And now you're getting one but you didn't want to take part in a relationship. Or live with me, and they won't have to know anything."

"I'll just tell them about artificial insemination, and then, if they want to say anything about that, well, I don't care." I nodded, "come with me to tell them."

"Wait, have you gone to the doctor to see if you really are?" She asked, grabbing my hand, "because I don't think it would be very smart if you lied and then it turned out different."

"Two weeks ago, there's a heartbeat. And then the doctor figured I didn't want it and told me to go to Planned Parenthood to schedule a talk about what my options were. I cried and he said that abortion and adoption were two common roads I could take. I want to keep it though, I think it would be the right thing to do."

Downstairs, my mom and dad were eating dinner at the kitchen table together. My dad was reading a newspaper and filling his mouth at the same time. The small kitchen radio played a slow, oldies song.

"Hi girls, have you finally come down for dinner?" My mom, Linda, sat next to my dad, across from two empty place settings, "sit down and eat. Stephanie, I'm sorry, I know you don't like the pesto sauce but it was all I had."

Mickie and I sat down at the table, "I'll eat it anyway, I'm starving." I filled my bowl with the green pasta and stuffed it in my mouth, "this is actually great mom." I got up and grabbed the milk from out of the fridge.

"Stephanie, you've never liked milk." My dad, Vince, put the paper down on the ground, "even when you were a little kid, you didn't like milk." He threw his napkin in his bowl, "thank you Linda, honey, that was great."

"Yeah Mrs. McMahon, this is really good." Mickie stared at me, then closed her eyes, "you'd better hurry up and say something before they figure it out because of your appetite." She whispered, taking a sip of milk.

"Sweetheart, are you okay? You have never liked it when I make this kind of pasta, and milk. Did you all of a sudden change on us?"

I looked up, "I have something to tell you that could be contributing to this." I finished my glass of milk and closed my eyes, "I'm pregnant. There isn't a daddy either, it'll just be me and the baby."

My mom dropped her fork into her lap and on the ground. My dad's face contorted in a way I'd only seen once, when my brother told us he was moving to New York a few years back. He was beyond pissed, and I knew it would only get worse, "Stephanie, who is the father?" He asked, pounding his fist on the table.

"Daddy, I know you're mad, and if you don't want me to keep it, I'll leave. That's fine, but, I've always wanted a baby and not the whole relationship part, so I went to a clinic and told them that, and, well, now I'm having the baby I want." I looked around the room and got up, "I have to go." I got up and ran out the front door.

"Stephanie, baby girl, I'm sorry I got mad like that. You are a woman and you are able to make your own decisions. If you want to have a baby, you can have a baby, and, you can stay here. Hopefully I'll get my first granddaughter." He hugged me and tears began flowing down his cheeks, "I'm happy for you honey."


	8. 2nd Trimester

I hadn't seen Paul for four months, and as my stomach grew, I felt dumber and dumber for drinking the night I met him. I could barely sleep anymore, because it hurt to move around. I had one sleep position and that was on my back, arms behind my head, and my legs together. If I tried to sleep any other way, the baby would shift and kick me in the ribs.

I heard noise coming from my window and then it opened, letting cold air inside. A large man jumped through and fell onto the floor. I screamed and he tackled me in the bed, "what the fuck?"

"Stephanie, shh, be quiet. Your parents are asleep." He kissed me and got up to close the window, "I came back a little late I know. I'm sorry, and I want to apologize for that little encounter with Jennifer Lopez, I was really fucked up because I was drinking some weird fruity shots that she was buying me. I had no clue what they were but fuck, I wanted to die the next day." He sat on the edge of the bed, "I know you knew I was with her that one night because it was all over ESPN."

He climbed on top of me, kissing me. Then, his hand went to my shirt, "Paul, keep that on, its cold in here." He nodded, out of breath, "just take my sweats off, that's it."

He lied half on top of me, twirling my hair around his finger. His hand then moved to my swollen tummy, "babe, have you gained weight?" He asked, "that's great because I didn't like you as skinny as you were. You probably look better now." He kissed my cheek, "are you allowed to have the light on this late?"

"My parents don't care how late I stay up." I bit my lip as the light flickered on, "how do I look now I'm fat?" I wiped tears off my cheeks, "the baby's yours."

He stood in the middle of my room in nothing but his boxers, "why didn't you call me and tell me? How far along are you?" He asked, quickly putting his clothes back on, "I have to get out of here. It can't be my kid, I'm not coming back this time." He swung the bedroom door opened and slammed it behind him.

I got up and opened the door an inch, I saw my dad in his pajamas talking to Paul. Paul got frustrated and left, leaving my dad yelling obscenities, "Stephanie, sweetheart, I thought you said you went to a clinic to have a baby. Paul Levesque just mentioned he's the father, and, how?" He pushed my door open wider.

"Daddy, I know I said I went to the clinic, and I'm sorry, but I lied. I'm really sorry dad, but, I didn't think you'd believe me if I told you I slept with Paul. I drank a little and I swear I'll never drink again because I was stupid." I hugged him, "he told me he wasn't coming back."

"Steph, your mom and I will help you with this, and we have a lawyer. Our lawyer will help you get child support from him if that's what you want." He took me to the couch in the front room, "how did he even get in? I was watching TV in here the whole time.

"He got my window open and fell in my room." I cried into his shoulder, waiting for him to yell at me, but it never happened, "I don't want him to pay child support, I just expected him to take care of his kid. But I should've known he wouldn't. I hope Angelo kicks his butt for doing this to me." My dad looked at me funny, "Angelo is his limo driver here in Texas. He's really nice."

"That's good. Why don't you just get some sleep and we'll discuss this in the morning." He kissed my cheek and helped me up, "good night sweetie."


	9. 3rd Trimester

My brother took me to my breathing classes every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday and Paul was nowhere to be found. I was eight months pregnant and was able to give birth any second, "Stephanie, are you ready to go?" Shane asked impatiently, "I've been waiting for you."

"I'm not going today, I can't fucking move." I laid spread- eagle on my queen bed, "everything hurts. I'll call the teacher and explain but there is no way in hell I'm leaving my bed."

He nodded, "that's fine, and, I swear to God if I ever see Paul Levesque I will kill him with my bare hands for what he did to you." He laughed and closed the door, then reopening it, "I'll call the teacher for you."

I heard the rattling of my window being opened and Paul fell in again, his knee in a big black brace, "oh my God, Stephanie." He limped towards the bed, "I missed you baby."

"You'd better get out of my room before Shane comes back in here. He just told me he'd kill you with his bare hands for doing this to me." I put pillows against the headboard and leaned back on them, "my dad was looking for you too, he really doesn't want to see you."

"I'll let them beat me up, but that won't stop me from being in love with you." He sat on my bed, "I'm on the DL, I can't play right now so I was sitting on my ass in my house and I couldn't stop thinking of you. I love you Stephanie." He tried to kiss my lips but I moved and he ended up kissing my ear, "babe?"

"I'm not falling for you again. You were a dick last time and I know you'll probably be a dick again." I pushed at his chest, "Paul, stop it." His hand pushed my cheek towards him, "Paul, let me go, please." I whimpered under his weight.

He kissed me, holding my hands to the wall, "alright fine, I'll stop." He let go of my wrists and sat on the edge of my bed, staring at me, "you should be fine now, I'm not touching you."

"Daddy!" I screamed, jumping off the bed and running as fast as my pregnant self could carry me, "Shane get in here!" I swung my door open and ran out. Paul grabbed me from behind at the top of the stairs. He covered my mouth with his hand and dragged me back into my room, "what the fuck was that?" I tried to kick him between his legs and missed.

"I don't want to get beat up yet." He yelled, "I just got injured, and I can't deal with being even more injured." The door opened, my dad and brother barreled in, glaring at Paul, "oh shit." He backed up as they came closer, "Stephanie, please, I'll do anything to make you stop them."

"Why should I? They just want you to realize what you did to me." I smirked when Shane gave him a right hand to the jaw, "wait, Shane, hold on. Why don't you just kick him in the nuts like ten times, I think he'll figure it out."

My dad kicked him once, Paul begged on his knees for them to stop, "sir, Mr. McMahon, I'm sorry for what I did, I'm staying with her I promise." He yelped under my dad, "please Mr. McMahon."

"Guys, stop." I pulled Shane by his collar, "I believe him, just, please stop. Wait until I talk to him again." I helped him up, "Paul, I want you to admit you weren't nice to me and you made the wrong decision, if you tell me that, I could possibly forgive you."

"Stephanie, honey, I'm sorry. I know I made the wrong decision and I fucked up. I love you and I won't do it ever again." He held his bloody lip, "I shouldn't have left you but I didn't want this to get out all over like I know it will. I can't go to parties anymore because there are women there and every woman I date ends up dumping me over other women trying to flirt with me. I do want this between us but, I don't ever want to cheat on you and I really wouldn't want you to think I'm cheating on you."

I smiled, "I'll try not to let it get to me when you talk to another woman." I grabbed a tissue from the box on my nightstand and wiped his nose, "my brother got you good with the nice one to the jaw huh?" He leaned over and kissed me, "and since you said it to me, I love you to Paul."


	10. Finding Home

Paul and I watched as our daughter slept in her crib

Paul and I watched as our daughter slept in her crib. My parents were letting us stay with them until we made our decision on living arrangements. Paul owned a house in California but we weren't too sure of going all the way back there, "Paul, I think we should just go to California, it's better than living here." I folded some baby clothes and put them in the dresser drawer.

"I don't like living out there. I want you to still be close to your parents just in case I accidentally hurt you again and you leave." He put some diapers into another drawer, "word got out that I'm a daddy."

I smiled, "well isn't that a good thing? Being a parent is one of the greatest things that has ever happened to me. Isn't it the same thing for you?" I asked, beginning to watch the baby again, "we still haven't named her you know. We have only about a week left to turn the birth certificate in."

Paul slightly nodded, "Stephanie, I know I said I wouldn't leave you again but, what if I told you I didn't want to be a parent yet?" He dropped half the package of diapers on the floor, "I can't do it babe, I'm not ready to do it."

I watched him in disbelief, then tears began welling up in my eyes, "you promised me Paul, you promised that you wouldn't leave again. You can't do this to me, we have a baby together." I threw an unopened box of diapers at him, "I should've known you would do this, after all, what's a promise to you?" I picked up my crying baby and stomped out of the room.

Paul slowly followed me to the living room, "honey, I didn't want you to take it like I wouldn't be there. I'll pay child support and I'll visit you guys whenever I can. It's just that being home and doing what I do is hard. I wouldn't be home for you and her like I need to be."

"You fucked your knee up, why don't you quit? I'm sure that now you've done it once, it could happen again." I would've stood up, but I was breastfeeding the baby, "just go Paul, obviously you don't like me, and you never did. All you ever wanted was sex and now you got a family out of the whole deal. I think you'd better watch your back because you saw what my dad and brother could do to you."

He went into the room and grabbed his bag, "fine, how'd you know how I felt? I'll just go, but I highly doubt that your dad would do anything. He'll never know." He slammed the front door.

I heard the tires screech on the asphalt as his loud car drove off. I sat on the couch and cried, I knew him and I couldn't make the perfect couple because all we did was fight. We fought over anything and everything.

"Steph, I'm home, can you give me a hand with the groceries please?" My brother Shawn walked in on me, red-faced, about to burst into tears for the thousandth time, "nevermind, are you alright?" He put the bags on the kitchen counter, then came back to the living room, "did Paul do something?"

I nodded, "he left Shane, he said he felt he wasn't ready to be a daddy. He told me he'd pay child support and visit whenever he can, but, he's gone. We fought again and I told him just to leave, that he didn't like me and he just wanted sex. He told me I was right and walked out." I handed the baby to my brother, burying my face in my hands, "I seriously fucked up when I went to that bar, I should have just come home and nothing would have ever happened."

"Stephanie, if you want to go out and do something, you can. I'll watch the baby. I think it would be fun for her to hang out with her uncle." He rocked her in his arms, "I think its time for a nap first."

"Thank you so much Shane. How could I ever repay you?" I hugged him, taking the baby and walking her towards the nursery, "I told Paul to watch his back because I know what you and dad could do to him."

"I think you'd better start sticking up for yourself. I mean, you could beat him up, I think so." He followed her to the nursery, "I could teach you."


	11. Good Job Paul

I flipped through the TV channels, and of course, nothing was on. Channel five said they were showing Monday Night Football. When they returned from the commercial, they players were out on the field and the bar at the bottom showed the score. It was Seattle at Dallas and the Cowboys were winning by three. Though I told everyone I hated football, I put the remote down and watched it.

A half hour later, it was the forth quarter with five minutes left. Gracie started crying so I went over and picked her up. As I held her, patting her back, my brother and father were cheering at the TV. I knew they were watching the game so I walked over and glanced at the screen.

Paul, number 82, was lying on the field. A big guy on the Seahawks was standing over him, offering help up, but Paul wasn't moving, "Steph, turn to channel five! Look at Paul!" My brother Shane came running upstairs, "did you see it? Hopefully they'll show a replay."

"He got taken out by that big Seahawk right there." My dad walked in my room, sitting on my bed next to Shane, "that was one hell of a play." We stared at the replay, "damn!"

I actually felt bad for him, the way he was lying there, motionless, obviously in pain or unconscious. Seeing that made me hurt too, "dad, is he alright?" I questioned, ignoring my brother's death-glare.

"I don't think so Stephanie." The medics rushed onto the field and slowly picked him up, "you watch, he'll try to come over here and complain how he's hurt and then leave, breaking your heart once again." My dad got up and paced to the hallway, "that fuckin' little bastard." He mumbled before going downstairs.

After the game ended, I turned to SportsCenter, where the breaking news ticker at the bottom corner was stating, 'Paul Levesque for the Dallas Cowboys' has three fractured vertebrae in his lower back.'

"Shane, dad, SportsCenter says Paul has three fractured vertebrae! He won't be coming back for a long time!" I pretended to laugh, "he's out for at least the next two or three years." Inside, I felt bad, and I knew he'd call, or try to come over if he could get one of his teammates to drive him.

"Nice, its about time he;s gone. And it's the beginning of the season. I wonder if he'll ever come back. If them Cowboys are smart, they'll let him go." My dad stood in the doorway.

"They can't dad, he has a five year contract." I fed Gracie a small bottle of formula, "I mean, they could, but it would be pointless, they'd lose the same amount of money either way."


	12. The Mention Of His Name

Paul had called me the day he injured his back and asked to see Gracie. I had strictly told him no and that he'd tried to do this before and every time this happened he hurt me and I wasn't letting it happen again. He called me a bitch and I didn't hear from him again. But the day before Gracie turned five, that was one of the worst days of my life.

"Mommy, why don't I have a dad?" Grace asked me as I was blow-drying my hair at our newly bought apartment.

"Honey, you have a dad, he just doesn't like to talk to us." I replied, "he really loves you sweetheart. He just doesn't like me."

She ignored my statement and went on, "my friends at school have daddies, but I don't." She sadly hung her head, "can't I see him?"

"Babe, I told you…" I looked at her, watching tears fall from her eyes and roll down her rosy cheeks, "don't cry Gracie, please. I'm just saying, your father is not happy with us."

"Did I do something?" She innocently asked, "if I did, I want to call him and say I'm sorry." She sniffed.

"Babe, you didn't do anything at all. It was me who made your dad mad. One day he'll visit us, one day." I turned the blow dryer off and looked down, "come on, let's go eat some lunch."

She followed me to the kitchen where my cell phone rang, "hello?" I didn't recognize the number but answered it anyway.

"Stephanie. Hi." The comforting yet irritating voice answered, "five years, been a long time, huh?" He laughed, "how are you? And Graciela?"

"What the hell do you want?" I raised my voice, "odd how the day she asks about you, you end up calling two minutes after." I held my finger up at Grace, "hold on sweetheart, it's your stupid dad."

Paul grunted, "Steph, don't tell her that. I'm not stupid." He went on, "when can I, you know, see you guys again?"

"Never." I snapped, "why would you all of a sudden want to see us?" I closed my bedroom door, "is that all you called for?"

"I want to see my kid Stephanie, I don't care if you want me to or not." He angrily yelled, "she's five, right?

"Her fifth birthday is tomorrow. But I wouldn't expect you to have remembered that." I sat on the corner of my bed and sighed, "why do you do this to me? Why do you have to be gone for so long and all of a sudden come back, like, nothing ever happened? When you leave, it hurts so damn much but I always fall for you again and again."

"Would you let me be there for her birthday?" He ignored my feelings, "I'll run out and get her something right now. What do you think she would want?"

"She doesn't need anything from you Paul, you technically have paid for everything she has." I growled, "but I guess the least I could do is let you see her on her birthday. She's really into Barbie and baby dolls."

"She's definitely a girl." He laughed, "okay, can I have your address? So I know where to go?" He was smiling, and his tone of voice was different, showing he was excited to be able to see us.

"Yeah, yeah, um, you know where the Walmart is, just take a right on the street next to it and there's the orange apartment complex, I'm on the ground floor in number twelve." I was trying to keep myself from thinking he would show up that night, although he probably would at least ask. I couldn't be any happier at the fact that I would see him again, even if I pretended to hate his guts, "if you could get here like…"

"Tonight?" He asked, interrupting my train of thought, "what of I just came over tonight so maybe we would have some time to talk to each other, and maybe I could talk with Graciela too."

My face turned red hot and I cleared my throat, with a grin from ear to ear, "yeah, you could come over tonight, that would be fine. We have a couch, or I could probably sleep in Grace's room and you in my bed for your back." I longed for him to suggest sleeping in my bed with me, but I knew he was smart enough not to push it, "oh, by the way, don't call her Graciela, call her Grace or Gracie, she hates her real name."

"Oh, okay then. I wouldn't want to make her mad the first time I met her." He laughed again, "well, I'll see you tonight Steph, or should I call before I come over?"

"If you still have the blue truck I will know when you get here, nobody can ignore the sound of it." I cupped my hand over my mouth to hide my excitement.


	13. Getting Used To It

I was sitting on the couch with Gracie, watching the Wiggles on TV when a loud truck pulled up outside and shut off. The doorbell rang and Gracie looked up at me, "alright, sweetheart, I want you to go answer the door for me. It's someone very special, okay? It's kinda like an early birthday present from both of us."

She hesitantly got up and walked towards the door in the kitchen. This was unusual for her since normally I never let her answer it for anyone. She opened it and glared up at Paul, who was smiling down at her, "hi Grace."

"Who are you?" She stepped back, "mommy, who is that?" I stood up and come towards them.

"Honey, this is your daddy. Remember you said earlier you wanted to meet him, well here he is." I blushed, my face turned tomato red and felt as if it was burning, "hi Paul."

His eyes stayed on my face, they didn't move down to my chest like old times, "hi Stephanie." He stared at me even after I looked away, "uh, Grace, I have a birthday present for you in my truck, I'll get it later since I know your birthday isn't until tomorrow."

She nodded, smiling shyly, "thank you." She obviously didn't know what to say or what to do so I excused her, "well, honey, why don't you go play so daddy and I can talk."

"Stephanie, you still look, beautiful." He stuttered, "I was thinking maybe we could go out for dinner tonight, with Grace, my treat." He came close to me and smiled, "I know you were happy when I asked if I could come over tonight." His lips touched mine and his hand rested on my hip.

He, inside, was still the same person, yet on the outside, he didn't seem like it, "wait, whoa, wait Paul." I was already leaning up against the counter, "Gracie is right there in the living room."

She was standing in the entryway, holding a doll, "I wanted to see if daddy could play with me. Please daddy?" She stuck her bottom lip out and as much as it didn't convince me much anymore, it killed Paul.

"Sure sweetheart." He followed her to her room, "what are we gonna play?" I followed too, "what about your mom, can she play too?"

"Yeah." She handed me a Barbie and Paul a Ken, "there, and this is your guy's car." She pushed a blue minivan my way, "daddy, sit down."

"Alright, right now." He struggled to sit down on the floor, "ouch, I don't think I can sit here." He squinted his eyes in pain, sucking in air at the same time, "okay, I made it, it hurts but I made it."

"Paul, if it hurts, don't sit here." I consulted, "Gracie, can we play on the kitchen table so daddy can sit in a chair?"

"No Steph, don't worry about it, I got it right here, it's fine." He sighed, "so, Grace, what, do I uh, do now?" He held up his doll.

"That's the daddy, and here is the baby." She handed him a Kelly doll, "give to the mommy doll, she takes care of the baby." She pointed at me.

"Okay, sorry, here." He gave me the little doll and I put it in the minivan, "its almost six, should we go out soon?" He asked me, still clearly in pain.

"Yeah, Grace, sweetheart, Paul here is gonna take us out to dinner. Let's get some shoes on." I got up and turned to Paul, "let me help you." I held out my hands patiently.

He turned my offer down and got up himself, "I made some dinner reservations earlier, its at that nice seafood place a few minutes from here, dress up." He smiled down at my T-shirt and jeans.

I barely noticed what he had been wearing, a blue dress shirt with black slacks and black casual shoes, "oh, okay, Gracie, we need to get dressed really quick."

She followed me into her bedroom, "where are we going to eat? Why can't I just wear this?" She protested as I went through her closet.

"We are going somewhere nice so, you need to wear something nice." I picked out a pink dress, "I want you o wear this. I think it looks very cute in you."

"Okay, I like wearing dresses." She put it on and smiled, "this dress is my favorite dress."


	14. Fishy Dinner

"What is that?" Grace asked, pointing at something on Paul's plate. She ate French fries with her macaroni and cheese instead of anything weird.

"Umm, I don't know." He examined it with his fork, "do you want to try it?" He cut it in half with the fork.

She looked at me, "mommy, can I try what that is?" She put it in her mouth when I nodded, "it tastes like a lemon." Her eyes squinted and her lips puckered.

Paul ate it next, "its some sort of fish, but it's really sour." He took a drink of soda, "do you wanna try it?" He asked, holding another piece towards me.

I took his fork and ate the fish, "ugh, gross." I took a gulp of water, "I don't like fish very much." I smiled politely, "but at least I can say I tried it I guess."

As we ate, Gracie talked and talked, and I was silent, Paul talked to her but he stared at me more. Every time I looked up, he was staring at me and he's quickly cover it up by reverting his eyes somewhere else. I wanted him to stare at me, but the more I thought about it, my face got brighter and hotter, "so, Paul, how is, football?" I tried to break up him and Grace.

"Not happening right now. Haven't picked one up since the incident five years ago." He sipped on his straw, "so, what are the sleeping arrangements?"

"You can sleep in my room for a few nights. Until you leave I guess. And I'll be sleeping in Grace's room with her since her bed is fairly big. I don't want you to sleep on the couch because that couch sucks and it'll hurt your back."

"Babe, you can sleep in the bed with me." He smirked, "I don't bite babe." He ate some salad. My mind went back to a night with Paul in bed before Gracie was born. He'd bit me before, but in a more pleasurable way.

I slightly smiled, "right. Gracie, how was school today?" I could feel him staring at me, "what did you guys do?"

"I painted you a picture. It's in my backpack." She ate more fries, "how long is daddy gonna stay with us?"

"Yeah Paul, how long are you gonna be staying with us?" I put my napkin on my plate and finished my water, "because, it's not that I mind, but I want to know how long I'm sleeping in Grace's bed."

"Stephanie, I said you could sleep with me. You don't have to do that." He motioned to Grace and picked up the tab, "do you guys want anything else before I pay this?"

"No, thank you for dinner Paul. Grace, what do you say to your dad for dinner?" I went for my purse when Paul stopped me, "at least let me get Grace and I."

"No. I told you guys it was my treat and I invited you, so, I'm paying for it." He gave the guy his credit card, "no problem Grace, sweetheart."

The waiter looked at the card and smiled, "Mr. Levesque? Who are you trying to play games with? Let me see some ID please."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Paul opened his wallet, "here, is this good enough? Jesus Christ." The waiter smiled and shook his head, "just kidding, do you think I could get an autograph?"

"Yeah, sure, why not." Paul signed a piece of paper, "what's your name? I'll write it down." I saw that Paul was extremely frustrated, and after the water walked away, "he turned to me, "Stephanie, I don't get it, how the heck do people still recognize me? So what if my name is Paul Levesque, maybe I'm not the football player." He whispered so only I was listening, "fuck." He stared past me, "looks like this just ruined everything."

"The waiter told us you were here. Can we get your autograph?" A young couple stood at the foot of the table, "thank you so much, we're big fans."

They walked away and I spoke up, "you have gained weight, no offense, but, other than that, you still look very familiar. So I have to say, yeah, you look the same as my ex-boyfriend Paul." I glanced away, towards Grace, "so honey, when we get home, I want you to get ready for bed, it's gonna be a little late."

Paul's face fell at my comment, "babe…" More people coming to our table interrupted him. Grace didn't understand what was happening, but she didn't ask surprisingly. She contently watched Paul and he watched me.

"Grace and I will wait in the car, I don't want her to go to bed late." I got up and walked out, Grace was holding my hand.

"Stephanie, I'm coming with you." He got his credit card from the waiter and caught up with me, "I hate that. Baby, I'm sorry about that. It wasn't supposed to happen and I know it jacked everything up." He got to the drivers side of my car and motioned for me to throw the keys, "you still mad?"

"I guess not." I put my seatbelt on and sat quietly, "the waiter started it. I'm sure that happens more than you would like. Even though you get to hang out with hot girls."

He started the car and turned the lights on, "I don't care about that Stephanie, I was hoping all night that wouldn't happen. And because I had to show the damn guy my ID, he had to go around telling people." My piece of junk car squeaked at the red light, "I don't know why we took your car, my truck has a full tank of gas."

"Hmm, let's just go with this car is a lot easier to get in than your truck, okay?" I responded with a heavy sigh.


	15. For Dessert

"Gracie, go get dress in pajamas and get ready for bed please." I showed Paul the couch, "sit here and wait." I went down the short hallway to my room at the end. I had two set of lingerie, one was dark blue with black trimming and the other was white. They were sitting in my closet just as they had been forever since they were bought. I quickly pulled them off their hangars and threw them in the back of the closet, "all I'm doing is sleeping in here. It's not like I'm gonna go through you closet."

I jumped and turned around, "oh hi Paul." My face turned red and hot, "what are you doing in here, I told you to wait."

"My question is what are you doing in here?" He limped towards me, "I remember buy those for you? He grinned.

"I never used them, and I doubt they fit." I sheepishly shut the closet door as best as I could, "why'd you come in here?"

"To hopefully see you in that or nothing." He motioned to kiss me when I saw Grace in the doorway.

"Okay, Gracie, say goodnight to daddy. He'll be here tomorrow for your birthday party after school."

"Goodnight daddy. I love you mom, goodnight." She went to her room and shut the door, "when I wake up, it'll be my birthday."

"So anyway, what about what I said?" Paul put his hand on my shoulder, "just to remember five years ago."

"Paul, we need more time to talk. Let's go out to the living room and…" He kissed me, "on, second thought." I faced him and returned another kiss, "should we wait until we know Grace is really asleep?"

"She won't think anything of it." His warm hands brushed against my waist and moved up, under my blouse, "I still think about you all the time." He pulled me even closer, pressing his lips to my neck and his fingers gently rubbing against my breasts through my thin bra.

"I have an idea. Let me try and fit into one of those lingerie outfits and you can go sit in the living room and wait for me." I giggled, "give me your shirt."

He unbuttoned his dress shirt, untucking it from his pants, "why do you want my shirt?" He took it off and handed it to me.

"You'll see." I threw the shirt on my bed and pushed him out the door, "just wait outside."

I easily slid the white, corset top up, over my stomach. It pushed my boobs in and up, almost up out of the top, "Paul, are you still there?" I asked, standing next to the door.

"Mmmhmm. Gracie is out here too. She says she can't sleep." His voice sounded soft, yet it still had it's Paul-ish manly-ness.

I quickly took the shirt from the bed and put it on, "sweetheart, I'll be right out there."

Paul gulped when he saw me in his shirt, "damn." He followed us to the kitchen were I pulled the milk from the fridge.

"Mommy, do I have to go to school tomorrow?" She waited as a glass of milk spun in the microwave.

"If you want your birthday party, yes, you have to go to school." I placed the milk in front of her, "you'd better drink up honey."

I sat next to her, eyeing Paul's facial expressions, "Steph, can I use the bathroom?"

I snapped out of my daze, "to do what?" I close-mindedly questioned.

"Ahem, well, to use the bathroom facilities, if you don't mind." He snickered, "because I could just go outside and…"

"It's down the hallway next to Grace's room. Sorry about that." He walked away, "come on honey, you really need to go to bed."

"I'm done." She took the glass to the sink, "goodnight mom." She sleepily wiped her eyes and walked to her room.

Paul came back and grabbed his keys, "I have some extra clothes in the truck, be right back." He closed the door behind him quietly.

"I blew it." I washed the coffee cup out as Paul came back, "I'm gonna change first I guess."

He stared at me, "for why?" He put a box of rubbers on the counter, "looks like we might be needing these."

"I would've thought Grace ruined it for us." I turned the water off and spun around, "did you plan this?" I grabbed the box.

"Well, we needed to catch up on old times, remember?" He took his shirt off me, smiling wide, "it still fits huh?"

He gently placed me on the bed, smiling since the rest of my lingerie was in a pile on the floor, leaving me in absolutely nothing.

"Paul, just be careful, it's been, awhile." I moaned, his fingers and lips roaming everywhere on my body.

"No problem baby." He whispered, his hands now cupping my naked breasts. The minutes I felt his 'junk' on me, I flipped out. I sat up and pushed him straight off the bed, "fuck, ouch, Stephanie, what the hell did you do that for?"

I covered my mouth with my hand, "Paul, are you alright?" I stared down at him, "babe, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that."

His eyes were tightly shut and both hands were on his back, "it's fine. It just hurts a little bit."

A tear fell from my eye and rolled down my cheek. It rolled off and splattered on his arm, "I'm really sorry Paul, can you get up?"

"I think so. Babe, don't cry." He grinned up, "My meds are somewhere in my bag."

I quickly got up and shuffled through his small duffel bag, "the white bottle or the orange one?"

"Orange." He was limply standing beside me, "what are you crying for?" He used his thumb to wipe my face, "crying over this is pointless."

"I hurt you Paul." I hugged him, without touching him, "I really didn't mean to do that. I don't know why I freaked out so much when you touched me."

"I don't care." He wrapped his arms around my waist and there we were, our naked selves standing in the middle of my room, hugging, "maybe it would be better if you were on top."

"Fine, you lay down for me for once." I smirked and gently pushed him towards the bed.


	16. This Morning

"Mommy, it's my birthday!" Grace knocked on my bedroom door, "wake up." She opened the door an inch.

"Grace, your dad is in the living room." I opened the bathroom door to her surprise, wearing my hair wrapped in a towel, "we have a lot to do today. We need to get you to school."

She pouted, "I'm gonna ask dad to get me breakfast." She snottily walked away, leaving me wondering if she got the attitude from Paul or me.

I opened my bedroom door to Paul, asleep on the bed again, "I'll come help you in a minute Grace, daddy's still sleeping."

"No, I'm awake. I was just resting." He stood up, "I'll help her." He stumbled out the door.

"Okay Paul, I'll take her to school and you can stay here and decorate." I came from fixing my hair in the bathroom and grabbed my car keys, "wait, Paul, last night my car was running on empty, can I use your truck?"

"Um, I guess so." He gave me the key and went to the kiss me, but because Grace was staring at us, I turned away and out the door, "alright, see you after school sweetheart."

"Mommy, this is daddy's truck? It's too big." I helped her get in, "this thing is huge!"

The loud diesel engine started and rumbled, drowning out the sound of every passerby car, "okay, let's go. You remembered your backpack right?"

"Yeah. I have my homework too." She proudly buckled her seatbelt, "so are you and daddy gonna be friends now?"

"We are friends. We just weren't able to talk very much. Remember what happened last night? When the people were asking daddy to sign the papers and take pictures? That's why."

"Why did that happen?" She asked, trying to look out her window.

"Um, he's a football player, on my favorite team, the blue and white one with the silver, he used to be number 82. Then her got hurt and couldn't play for a long time."

"What is his second name?" She pulled her zipper on her coat up, "his name is Paul, I heard you call him that."

"His name is Paul Levesque." I turned into the kindergarten parking lot, "his name is hard to pronounce, I know. You just go to school and I'll see you after." I helped her out of the truck, "I love you sweetheart." I kissed her forehead and returned to the drivers side of the truck as she went to line up for class.

I had to admit, I loved the truck. I wished it could be mine, but my small car was priced equivalent to how much it was to fill the gas tank in this truck. I took a glance at the fuel gauge, which was three-quarters of the way full, "damn!"

When I came home with groceries, Paul was asleep on the couch, "honey, I'm home. Can you help me with the groceries?" I smiled.

He opened his eyes and stood up, "sure, you put them away and I'll bring them in."

"It's raining out there, just so you know." I put my bags on the island in the middle of the kitchen.

"Hey, do you think you and I could go out so I can find something for Grace? I lied last night, I don't know what to get her." He put the rest of the bags on the counter, "I'll take you to breakfast."

"Paul, you took us to dinner last night." I reached up and put a few cans in the cabinet. He came up behind me and rested his hands on my hips, "what are you doing?"

"Trying to convince you to date me again." He rubbed his chin on my shoulder, "I can't leave this time."

I spun around, "can I trust you for real this time? You've left twice before." I looked down, "if you leave again, you might not come back again."

"I love you Stephanie, for real." He pushed his hands up her shirt, "I've told you before but those times were lies. I've figured it out. I can't leave again, I love you too much and there's a five year-old involved."

"Gracie likes you. She told me so on the way to school." My arms were around him, my hands gently running up and down his shirtless back, "is that the scar from the accident?"

"One of them, yeah, I have six screws in my back right there to help keep it straight. That's why it hurt so damn much when I fell off the bed last night." He pressed his lips to mine, his hand went to my cheek and his tongue rolled around in my mouth, "so will you go get breakfast with me now?"

I nodded, "sure, but, I don't think we can go out in public all hot and bothered like this." I took my T-shirt off, "come here Paul."

He put his hands in my hair and kissed me again. Below my hair, my bras unclasped and he grew in his pants, "the kitchen island seems like a nice place doesn't it?" He questioned, out of breath.

"Fine with me." I let him pick me up and place me on the cold, tile counter, "you'd better go get a rubber or two."

He ran to my room as fast as he could. I stayed on the counter and somehow stripped myself of my panties, "you're cleaning this counter after all this." I ran my fingers through my hair, "hurry up."

"That's fine, I could care less." He climbed up above me and snapped the condom over himself.


	17. Gracie's Birthday

**Author Note-Uhm, this story has taken a much probably needed maybe not needed turn. It gets a little weird, but evens out weirdly too. I have no clue where the evil and twisted came out in me, but, just bear with me. Love Lyndsie**

"Is your dad coming?" Paul asked, sitting on one of the kitchen stools in boxers, "I don't think him and I get along."

"That's okay, he won't be coming. Him and I definitely don't talk anymore. He lives with his mistress in Connecticut."

"Damn, well, that prevents a fight and me acquiring more injuries." He laughed, "what about your mom?"

"She lives here still. Same house. She has a new boyfriend, his name is Dusty and they'll both be here." I put my top back on, Shane moved back from New York with Marissa, they live like, down the street."

He won't beat me up right?" He cautiously glared up at me, "I know he don't like me very much."

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Gracie, happy birthday to you!" Everyone sang as Paul put a heavily iced cake down on the table in front of Grace.

She blew at the candles, "my wish won't come true! I didn't blow all the candles out, there's one left."

"Babe, your wish will come true. I'm sure." Paul removed the candles, "Steph, can you get me a knife please?" He cut small slices through the bright white cake.

"So are you and Paul back together?" Shane asked, eating a purple flower from the Barbie cake.

"I don't know." I shrugged, "I don't think so." I quietly turned away, "I want to believe what he said. I want to believe he won't leave me again, but I think he could."

He laughed, "he's left twice Stephanie. Once for five years." He put his plate down, "he'll leave again, and this time he might not come back."

"But Grace is involved. She told me she liked him, so, I told him. He says he can't leave now because of her. I think he means it for real this time."

"I wouldn't put your trust in his just yet." He chugged some of his soda, "how's his back?"

"Still fucked up big time." I blushed, "Shane, does it make me a slut just because he came back and I slept with him last night?"

"Uhm, I don't know, did you hurt him?" He laughed, "I could only imagine that."

"I pushed him right off the bed. And he had to take a huge dose of his pain meds. He told me he has like six or seven screws in his back." I tool my cake to the kitchen.

Paul drank a case of beer with Shane outside as I cleaned the entire apartment out, "I gotta go to bed. Why don't you come with me babe?"

"Honey, you took your pain meds didn't you?" I let him lean on me, "you are lucky that Grace is already asleep."

He lied on top of me, his shirt on the floor, "Paul stop it, you're drunk and I don't want to do this."

"Stephanie, babe, come on." He kissed my stomach, "it's not like anyone would know. Me being drunk doesn't matter." He pushed my hands up above my head.

"Paul stop it!" I whimpered, expecting him to let goof my wrists!" I screamed louder.

"What if I don't wanna let go?" he took both wrists in one hand and unbuttoned my nightshirt with the other, "just once?"

"No, no, no! Please stop. Paul stop." I struggled and he forcefully kissed me, "if you do this I'm gonna tell Shane!"

He smirked, the smile turned into a laugh, then he slapped me across the face with the back of his hand, "no, you won't."

I cried beneath him, "you're hurting me Paul!" I sobbed as he stripped me of my lower clothing.

"Aww, baby, it'll only hurt a little bit." He continued to hold my hands up, "I'll let go of you if you don't hit me." He let go and I slapped his face, "damnit Stephanie."

"Paul, I love you. Don't do this." I kept crying and he roughly pushed my wrists back against the headboard, "how can you do this?"

"Steph, baby, I need you, which means I can't control myself. But I love you too."

Paul lied to me last night. He said it would only hurt a little bit. When he finally fell asleep, I couldn't feel my feet because everything from my hips to my ankles hurt. Including my arms and wrists, since they were covered in bruises.

Grace had a nightmare last night, after, and now she was lying in my bed. I was in the middle, between her and Paul, fearing the minute he woke up.

"Morning babe." He turned to me and smiled, "how'd you sleep?"

"I didn't." My voice trembled and my eyes were still tear-ridden.

"What's wrong?" He innocently asked, his hands moving across my hips, "were you crying?"

I nodded, "you don't remember, do you?" I started crying again.

"What did I do?" He sat up carefully, "baby?"

I hesitantly pulled the blankets down, uncovering my black and blue wrists, "you did this."

He gulped, "I did that? I'm so sorry." He hugged me, "I'm not gonna drink anymore."

"You know you're not supposed to drink with that medicine." I shook Grace, "good morning honey, I hope you had good dreams last night, did you?"

"Mmmhmm." She gave me a worried stared, "why are you crying again?"

"Oh, don't worry about it honey, go wash up and get ready for school." She climbed over us and opened the bathroom door in the hallway.

"Baby, I'm sorry." He cried into my shoulder, "I'll be right back." I got up and left bedroom.

I heard cans opening as the sink ran in the kitchen, "Paul, what are you doing?"

"Pouring every bit of alcohol out." He threw the cans in my small recycling can, "I threw my pain pills away. I threw all of them out."

"I didn't ask you to do that." I silently retrieved the pill bottles from the can and put them in the pocket of my robe, "babe, you need those."

"Not if I'm gonna hurt you, I don't need them." He wiped his eyes with a paper towel, "I can live being in pain for until I have the stupid surgery."

"I forgive you. You were drunk. It wasn't really you." I stepped forward, "I still love you."

"Surgery happens next month in California." He leaned on the counter, "I need it, but I don't wanna leave you guys."

"I can leave the apartment and we can live with you." I suggested, "if, that's okay with you."

"Really? You would want to do that after last night?" He turned the sink off and took my hand, "I love you too."


	18. Michael James Levesque

I sat in Paul's house on the couch, holding my big, pregnant belly. Eight and a half months ago was the incident between Paul and I, now I was ready to pop.

Of course, Paul was at his game in Texas and I sat in California, miles and miles away, "Emilia!" I screamed for Paul's maid, who lived in his house with her 15-year-old daughter, Jazmine.

"Miss McMahon. Are you alright?" She asked, seeing my face, "you're in labor!"

"Take me to the hospital." I stood up, "then I want you to take care of Grace for me."

"Okay, okay sure." She grabbed my keys and helped me outside alongside her daughter.

"Paul, I'm in labor." I held my phone in one hand and the side of the car in the other.

"Babe, do you want me to do? I can leave the field and be there…"

"No, stay there, Emilia and Jazmine and I can deal with this. Play the game." I took deep breaths, "by the time you get here, it would be pointless."

"But I could try. I'll drive honey. I'll be there as soon as I can." He hung the phone up abruptly.

"Come on Miss McMahon." Jazmine helped me from the car and into the emergency room, "I'll watch Grace and Jazmine will be in here with you, delivering the baby."

The nurse came in with Jazmine's gear, "Miss McMahon, this could take a few hours, is this your first child?"

"No, I have a five-year-old." I breathed heavily through another contraction, "my other doctor in Texas said it would work out in my favor this time."

"From the way it's looking, yes, it should be quick, but labor can still take hours." Th nurse left me a glass of water.

"Ma'am, have you contacted your husband, or boyfriend?" My doctor strolled in and read the paper next to my water, "everything here looks good."

"My boyfriend, Paul, isn't gonna make it. He's in Texas playing his football game."

"Paul, Paul Levesque the football player? He's your boyfriend?" The doctor smiled, "Dallas's wide-receiver turned quarterback, poor guy, he sucks like hell."

"Yeah, yeah, Paul Levesque." I screamed, "if this baby isn't coming for awhile, can someone please give me some damn pain medication?"

I woke up three hours later, still sweaty from the hour and a half long birth. Paul and I had our second child, Michael James, and once again, daddy was nowhere to be found, "Steph, guess who's here!" Emilia opened the door and Paul slowly entered, carrying flowers and a cup of ice cream from the downstairs cafeteria.

"Hey sweetheart." He handed me the cup, "the doctor said you can have this now." He set the flowers on the table beside me, "how do you feel?"

"Sweaty and tired." I kissed him, "you missed it again." I looked away sadly, "at least I was able to call you."

"I know baby, I missed it again." He tapped my shoulder, "if we have another one, ever, I promise I'll be there."

I nodded, "alright." I took a nibble of ice cream, "Jazmine watched, she freaked out a little bit."

"I've never seen birth, ever." He swallowed, "it sounds gross." He took my hand and pressed it to his lips, "I love you."

"I love you too." I smiled, "and I can't wait for you to see your son."


	19. Run Of Good Luck Turned Bad

"Maybe you and I should see different people." I threw some clothes into a big on our bed, "I want a family, and all you seem to want is sex and football, you were better off single!"

"Stephanie." He followed me from room to room, "stay here, where the hell are you gonna go?"

"I'll find a motel or something." I opened the front door and he grabbed my arm, "let go of me!"

"You aren't going anywhere." He turned into the same Paul I'd seen the night Mikey was conceived, "get back in here."

I bolted from the porch, down the steps and around a large bush at the front of the house. When I carefully looked back at the porch, he was nowhere to be found.

I stood behind the bush, trying to catch my breath for about a minute, "you forgot, huh? You must've not remembered what I do to earn a living."

I screamed at the top of my lungs, "Paul stop it, stop scaring me, please stop." He smiled, no one could hear me scream from his lack of neighbors.

"Come on, let's go." He picked me up by my arms and pushed me towards the house, I fought him and he knocked me down onto the dirt path, "knock it off."

I kicked him in the face and he bent over to roughly grab me again, "get away from me!"

"Damnit Steph." He grabbed me by my hair and we went inside, "look what you did!" He yelled at me, "my fucking nose is bleeding because you kicked me." He threw me onto the couch.

"Paul, I…" I flinched when he turned towards me again.

"Shut up." He calmly stated, his hand quickly and sharply slapping me in the cheek, "just shut your goddamn mouth." He grinned, "oh, okay, like the last time, huh? Is that what you want?"

I innocently looked up at him with tears rolling down my cheeks, "don't do this again." I whispered, still sobbing. My cheek was red, and felt as if it was on fire from him hitting me, "no, stop!" I shrieked as he ran his hand up my leg to the button of my jeans.

"I said shut up." He threw the pants on the floor beside the couch, "you can't stop me Steph. And if you hit me again, I will make the situation worse."

He lied to me once again. He'd pretended like he didn't remember last time. He remembered pretty damn well if he threatened to make it hurt worse. I was scared to live here, in our house. I didn't even want Grace here, wondering if he'd touch her too, "Paul, I want to know something…would you ever do anything like that to Grace? Or Emilia, or even Jazmine?"

"No babe, only you I guess." He smirked, sitting beside me, "get dressed honey. What are we having for dinner?"

"I don't know." I quickly put my jeans back on and went to the kitchen, "what do you want for dinner?"

"I don't know babe. I guess it doesn't matter." He came into the kitchen behind me, "oh, I see you're still drying huh?" He pulled me closer and held me tight, "I would stop. Since nobody's here still."

"I'm not crying anymore. It's from earlier." I pushed him and kicked him in the knee, "get away!" I ran towards the living room and he tackled me, I started screaming, "Paul, stop it!"

It happened again, and instantly after, the car pulled up outside, "Stephanie, get dressed."

I sat on the couch as Emilia opened the door, followed by Grace and Jazmine holding Mikey, "hi mommy!" Grace came over and hugged me, "you're crying again."

"No I'm not. I was watching a funny movie with daddy and…" I looked up at Paul, who was standing behind me with a stern, cold stare upon his face, 'it was so funny I, cried."

"Oh, okay." She went upstairs to her room, "Jazmine, I want to show you something!"

"Here's Mikey, he was great the whole time!" Jazmine handed him to me and went upstairs.

My son, Mikey, was almost a year now. And everyday, he looked more and more like Paul. I had conceived him from Paul raping me and as I remembered that, I preyed it wouldn't happen again.


	20. Pain Lasts Forever

I sat the edge of the bathtub crying. It had been three months since Paul began having his little anger episodes. The waiting of sex from me became more, and I couldn't fight him off. I had to admit, I was terrified of Paul, absolutely terrified.

I learned a few things over the four-month period. He would only do it when Gracie was at school and nobody was home, which was everyday around noon. And he hated it when I cried. He slapped me a lot, like it would help, though it usually did. I'd stop crying and look at something, something away from his face.

I saw the alarm clock in the bedroom from the crack in the bathroom door, "I have to leave." I whispered to myself, getting up and running out the door.

"Where are you going?" Paul stopped me in the middle of the staircase, "why are you running?" He smirked, coming up closer.

"I'm hungry again." I backed up, "Paul, what are you doing?" I backed into the wall.

"It's about twelve." He grinned, "you know what happens at noon." He pushed me into his bedroom, "maybe you can help me out a little bit."

"What do you want help with?" I unbuttoned my blouse, "is this what you want?"

"That works." He pushed my blouse beyond my shoulder and kissed my neck, trying to make me happy too.

"Paul, what if I told that I don't wanna do this right now?" I sat on the bed with my jeans unbuttoned, "it hurts to, well, open my…" He shoved me over and climbed up above.

"You'll get over it." He was on his hands and knees, on top of me, smirking, "why can't you open your legs? You were fine in Friday."

"Let me see your hand." I held my hand out and took his, "this is why I can't open my legs all the way, I'm showing." I placed his palm over my slightly protruding belly.

"You're pregnant?" he asked, wide-eyed, "how far along are you?" He got up and stood beside the bed.

"Two…months." I looked up at him as he slapped my face, "I just found out too. I was a few weeks late but you wouldn't let me leave the house." I sniffed, "if you're that mad, I can…"

"No, no, it's fine." He paced, "it won't get in the way." He came towards me again, "come here." He untucked his shirt and unbuckled his belt, "like I just said, it won't get in the way."

My luck had run out. He was going to do what he wanted, whether I argued or not, "we're having another baby through you and…rape."

"Honey," he commented, his voice soft like on the first day I met him, "it's not rape." He laughed, "it's just really forceful sex. It's not my fault you don't want to sleep with me."

I looked up at him, giving him a worried face, "I never said I didn't want to sleep with you." He set his eyes on mine, and they stayed put for almost forty-five seconds, "Paul, are you okay?"

He got up and ran out the door, his pants still around his ankles, "I'm gonna go, I'll see you later." He stood in the hallway, buckling his belt.

"Where are you going?" I stood in the doorway, pulling my undershirt down, "Paul?" I walked towards him, but before I could reach out to grab him, he dashed down the stairs silently, "come back up here." I took two steps down and heard the front door slam shut, followed by the truck starting up.

As the truck sped off, I stood in the living room, watching his tires kick dirt up and Emilia's car come closer, after they got out, I opened the door, "hey guys, Gracie, how was school?"

"School was awesome mom!" She ran upstairs, "mom, my teacher told me to tell you to call her because you guys need to talk." She sat on the couch with Mikey and I, "guess what he said today? He finally said Auntie Mia."

"Mikey, can you say Auntie Mia again? Gracie, your father and I know about the meeting we need to arrange with Miss Jacobs. I'll call her this week."

"Mama!" Mikey yelled, his hands grabbing at my hair.

The door opened and Paul walked in, "I forgot my wallet and jacket." He went upstairs.

"Daddy, I made you something at school today." Grace met him at the bottom of the staircase, "dad, why are you mad?"

"Not right now Grace." He went in the kitchen and grabbed a soda, "leave me alone." He drank half the soda and sighed.

"But daddy…" She followed him to the living room, "I made you a…"

He pushed her back, then looked at me, "take care of your kid, will you?" He slammed the front door behind him.

"Gracie, honey, come here." I patted the couch as she sat on the ground from Paul's push, "sweetheart."

"Daddy made me fall. He pushed me." She sobbed into my arms, "why did he do that?"

"He's just mad and he's being a big meanie. Do you want to know why? It's good news." I pulled my shirts up, showing my stomach, "Mikey is gonna be a big brother."

"Does this mean I'm gonna have another little brother?" She stopped crying.

"I don't know what it is yet. It could be a boy or a girl, you could have a little brother or sister."

She placed her fingers on my stomach, "does it move yet?" She put Mikey's hand alongside hers, "Mikey, feel."

"Mommy's tummy." He put his other hand on me, "it's bigger."

A half-hour later, Paul came back and went into the kitchen, "daddy, are you not mad anymore?"

"I'm sorry I pushed you sweetie." He drank the other half of his soda that was left on the counter.

"Mommy says Mikey's gonna be a big brother." She jumped up, excitedly.

He turned around and punched the refrigerator, leaving a dent the size of his fist, "she told you guys huh?"

She nodded, "yeah, she told us." She backed up, "daddy, would you ever do that to a person?"

He turned to the fridge, "no, sorry I scared you again honey. I wouldn't hurt any of you guys. I wouldn't hurt you, or Mikey, or even your mom."

I stood in the walkway between the kitchen and the living room, glaring at him and the fridge, "you wouldn't hurt me, really Paul? That's a lie, and you know it damn well." I turned away and went upstairs.


	21. What His Momma Don't Know Might Kill Him

I waddled through the kitchen and towards the stair, halfway up, someone rang the doorbell, "who is it?"

"It's Paul's mom Carla." The woman's voice answered, "you must be Stephanie, I'm Carla, or if you want, call me Mrs. Levesque. How are you?" She stared at my belly.

"Fat. And hungry, but we have nothing to eat." I smiled, "come in, Paul is asleep upstairs with Mikey, they're just taking their naps."

"And then Gracie is at school." She nodded, "you've definitely made this place, more feminine." She looked around approvingly.

"Hey mom." Paul sleepily stumbled down the stairs, "how was the plane ride?" He pretendedly smiled down at my stomach.

"Ugh." I put my hand over my stomach, four months, the baby sure is a kicker." I slowly made my way to the couch, "I have to relax here for a little bit."

Mikey screamed from upstairs, "Steph, I'm hungry, can you go and get him?" Paul yelled from the kitchen.

"Paul, I cannot climb those stairs." I yelled back to the kitchen, "I deal with him enough don't you think?"

"Fine, goddamnit." He ran up the stairs and Mikey quieted, "hey little guy."

"Does that happen often?" Carla asked, exiting the bathroom, "he knows you're pregnant, and he should know that kind of stuff is hard for you to do."

"Ah, oww, Stephanie! Help me!" Paul screamed, "Steph, come here please!"

I got up and ran as fast as I could carry myself, "are you alright?" I got in the room and laughed. Mikey had both of his hands clenched in his father's blonde hair, "Michael, honey, let go of daddy." I picked him up, "sorry Paul, he likes to pull hair."

"The day he doesn't cry when I puck him up, he pulls a handful of hair out. I actually thought he was starting to like me."

"Baddy." Mikey yelled, pointed at Paul, who looked at me and gulped, "mommy and baddy."

Carla was behind me, with wide eyes, "what is he saying, baddy, what the hell does that mean?"

"I think he's trying to say daddy." I reassured her, "you know little kids, they can't pronounce things right."

Mikey pulled at my hair too, "well, alright, let me see my favorite little grandson!" Carla took him from my arms and coddled him.

"Mom, he's you only grandson. How is he your favorite?" Paul stuttered, glancing nervously at me every few seconds.

"Shut up." Carla sneered, "he can be my favorite, only grandson." She took him towards the staircase.

"Did you pick between Joe and I? Who was your favorite son? Jesus goddamn Christ." He followed us down the stairs and into the living room.

"Paul, go away." Carla then turned to me, looking at Paul, "Stephanie, you are getting enough rest, right?"

I glanced at Paul, "oh, yeah, I get plenty of rest. Sometimes."

"Well doesn't he help out?" She sat on the couch and played with Mikey on her lap, "Paul, why don;t you help her out?"

"I usually can't. I have football, remember, I'm been playing for what, like, nine years!" He sat next to me with an apple and a banana.

"You don't help me anyway, You clean this house of food and complain. That's it." I pushed the banana down his throat as he attempted to take a bite.

Carla was here for a few days and as I was brushing my teeth one night, she came into the master bathroom and stood in the doorway, watching me intently, "Steph, can I talk to you?"

"I guess so. Yeah." I spit toothpaste out and continued brushing , "is everything okay?"

"Does Paul hurt you, in any way?" She quickly questioned. I stared down the sink, "Steph, does he?"

I nodded, and she shut the door, "I'm not going to say anything, he'll hurt me again. But I guess I can nod, that's not telling."

"That's perfectly fine. How does he hurt you? Does he hit you? Like, beat you up?"

I shook my head vigorously, "does slapping like a girl count?" I asked, quietly.

"So, he slaps you." She closed her eyes angrily, "does he do anything else?" I hesitantly nodded, "okay, I can tell you're holding back, what else does he do to you?"

"I can't say it Mr. Levesque. I can't say it." I whispered, "trust me, you'd rather not..."

"Rape? Does he, rape, you? Or have sex with you unconsentually?" She asked, her eyes still closed, "please tell me, you're shaking..."

I was nodded, on the verge of tears, "but I didn't say anything. It's how we got Mikey, and...this one, I mean, these two."

"Two? You're having twins?" She glanced at my stomach, "no wonder you're so big. I didn't believe you when you said you were only four months."

I've been afraid of him for eight months. I got him to stop once by showing him my tunny two months ago. That was it." I opened the door, "I need to get some sleep. Goodnight." I watched as she smiled and walked out the bedroom door.


	22. Unfaithfulness And Revenge

I parked Paul's pearl white Escalade in the driveway, noticing a silver Mercedes alongside his blue truck. I had just dropped Gracie and Carla off at the mall for the next few hours and would return after they called, "come on Mikey." I pulled him out of his car seat and into my arms, "well it looks like daddy has company."

As we went inside, it was quiet, "maybe, daddy is outside." I went upstairs to grab a sweater and heard giggling from our bedroom, "maybe he's sleeping." I cautiously opened the bedroom door, "oh my god."

Paul was in our bed with a skinny blonde woman, "Stephanie, honey, its not what you think."

"Then what is it?" I screamed, "let's go shopping Mikey." I squeezed him in my arms, running downstairs and seeing his pants draped over the back of the couch, "I have your wallet!"

I spent money on his credit card, telling most of the cashiers that I was his wife and I was allowed to, "Mikey, when we get home, I want you to say think you to daddy."

My cell phone rang from the cup holder of the Escalade, "hello?" I was stupid, I didn't even look to see who it was, though I had a feeling.

"Where are you? And where the fuck is my wallet?" He yelled over the phone, "why dod you take my damn wallet?"

"Revenge." I whispered, "Paul, you cheated on me, you..." I cried, hitting my head on the steering wheel.

"Baby, where are you? At what store?" He asked, in his sweet sounding, assuring voice.

"The stupid mall." I continued to sob, "I used your credit card, a lot."

"I'm not mad. I can live with that." I heard a truck pull up beside me and shut off, then the phone clicked, "babe, unlock the car."

"No!" I rolled the window halfway down. He stepped up on the running boards and reached in the window, pulling the lock up, "go away!"

"Honey, I'm..." I threw a large cup full of Sprite at him, "Steph?" He whined.

He continued to stand on the running boards and wrapped his arms around me, "Paul, stop it, Mikey is in here."

"I know. I'm not doing anything but hugging you." When he pulled away, his chin stubble tickled my neck, then going up to my cheek."

I smelled perfume on him, perfume that wasn't mine, "you smell like Gracie's..." He kissed me, and I quickly pulled away, "teacher, what that her?"

"Nobody has to know that." He turned around and I grabbed his ear, "oww, baby, I'm sorry."

"Do you think she's better looking than me? I mean, I'm pregnant and all, and she's skinny..."

"I didn't kiss her." He rested his hand on my thigh, "I couldn't kiss her. She tried but I pulled away, I love you." He sighed when I let go of his ear, "she's not better looking than you."

"What do you like about my body while I'm pregnant?" I got down from the SUV and backed him into his truck, "tell me Paul."

"I don't know baby." He looked up at the sky as I touched his chest, "s...stop it."

"Paul, honey, my sweet little boy-toy, you don't wanna hurt me that much, now do you?" I traced my finger from his jawline to the button on his jeans, "Mikey's watching."

"Right, Mikey is watching." He panted, "Mikey, are you hungry?" He asked, taking his wallet back from me, "how about you babe?"

"I always am. But we just ate lunch." I rolled the window up and got back in the SUV, "I need to go pick your mother up."

"I'll see you at home then sweet thing." He went around the truck and got in when I pulled away.

"Why is Paul here?" Carla asked as she got inside my car, "your face is tear-ridden."

"He cheated on me. With Grace's," I looked into the rear-view mirror, "Grace's teacher. In our own bed." I whispered.

"My dear lord." Carla clutched her chest, "how did you know?"

"A car was in our driveway and I walked in on them. He had the nerve to say it wasn't what I thought." I shook my head, "he hugged me and he smelled like her perfume."

"Did you accept his apology? I did see you eating with Mikey in the food court."

"Yeah, I accepted his apology. He found me here and helped me stop crying." I looked in the side mirror, "could he get any closer?"

"Mom, you cry a lot." Grace murmured, "is it because of daddy?"

"Sometimes." I answered, "damnit, "I threw my drink out at him. Gracie, what time is my meeting with Miss Jacobs?"

"On Friday at three." She looked up, "why does daddy make you cry?"

"Don't worry about it honey." I got to the gates at Paul's house, then pushed the intercom button, "Emilia, can you have Jazmine open the gate? Please?"

The gate opened and I drove in, still being followed by Paul's truck.

Paul and I sat in Grace's school office, waiting for Miss Jacobs, the blonde in bed with Paul on Tuesday, "she's available now."

We got up and walked away, "Paul, you will not talk to her, you won't look at her, or I swear to God." I waddled along the hallway with his arm around me.

"Okay Stephanie. I know, I won't even look at her." He nodded and opened the door for me, "you talk."

"Hello Miss McMahon," she gulped, at me and blushed for Paul, "hi Mr. Levesque." She giggled.

"Miss Jacobs, this about Grace. This will have nothing to do with us." I looked over at him, "right honey?"

"Right." He stared down at the tile floor, "just pretend I ain't here."

We spent fifteen minutes in the room talking about Grace, and as we were about to leave, Miss Jacobs got all gushy over Paul again, "okay, can I ask one question?" I stood up and smiled.

"Yes Miss McMahon." She answered, being her usually snotty self.

"It's about Paul." I whispered, so he couldn't hear from across the room, "when he took you to our house, was he, oh, you know, nice?"

She giggled like a small child, "Miss McMahon, I don't think I've been with a nicer man. Paul was so, patient, and..."

Something in my brain triggered something else and I went completely red while my fists clenched, "you bitch!" I tackled her down to the ground and we became a mess of punch throwing and hair grabbing.

Before I could get my hands around her neck, I was being pulled back and held tightly by Paul, "baby, calm down, babe, stop. Breathe."

I took deep breath and sighed, "okay, my work here is done." I grabbed my purse and left, holding Paul's clammy hand.

"Why'd you do that." He asked, letting me drive, "does she make you that crazy?" He got in the passengers seat beside me and buckled his seatbelt.

"Maybe it's just that you slept with her." I drove his truck like a crazy person, "I never have liked her and I'm pretty sure I never will."

"Honey. I'm sorry. If there is anything I can do for you, I'd do it to make it up."

"Buy me a new car." I mumbled, "so I can drive my own car."

He sighed, "I don't know." He continued to stare down at the floor, "what's wrong with your car?"

I gave him the blankest stare ever, "that fucking car is a fucking piece of shit."

The next morning, Paul woke me up and told me to go outside. As I excitedly went to the front yard, I saw my car, painted pink instead of its usual white, "is this it?"

"Doesn't your car look better?" He asked, standing beside me.

"Okay, so the color changed, that damn thing is still a piece of shit." I turned around and went back inside.

"Stephanie, you are a selfish, fucking bitch, you know that?" He grabbed my arm and pulled me back out to the car, "look at it and say thanks, jeez."

"Thanks for what? Changing the color?" I started crying, "Paul, you are the selfish one here. I didn't ask for anything until now."

He pushed me against the car and walked away, screaming obscenities. I went back inside, trembling and scared.


	23. Does Everything Happen For A Reason

As I was about to go to bed, Paul came in and pushed me back into the wall, "what'd you tell her?" He yelled.

"Tell who?" I innocently squinted my eyes in pain from his hands grasping my arms.

"Tell my mom. She's acting all suspicious of me. What the fuck did you tell her?" His hands moved up to around my neck, "is this what you want?"

I didn't cry, I stood there, letting him choke the living shit out of me, "I'll leave if you let go. I will leave and take Mikey and Grace with me."

He shoved me to the bed, "leave then. Go away before I make me hurt you more."

I sat on the bed, "why do you keep hurting me? What makes you need to do that?" I tried to get somewhere with him.

"I don't want to talk about it." He glared at me, "I love you, but babe...when you tell me you don't want to sleep with me..." He climbed above me.

"No, Paul, no." I fought him after the month of him being somewhat nice.

He was on top of me and my shirt was almost off when the bedroom door opened and Carla entered, "what the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Mom?" Paul shot and fell off the bed, "what are you doing here?"

"No, the question is, like I asked, what are you doing?" She came over and slapped him, the sound of her hand hitting his face echoed and was louder than ever, "come here." She grabbed him by the ear and escorted him out of the room, "Stephanie, dear, you can go back to bed if you can."

I heard her screaming and the loud banging of our pots and pans. And I think that with this happening, he wouldn't hurt me again.

He came back into the room and fell on his knees, his face was bloody and beginning to heavily bruise and he was coughing, "Steph, I'm so sorry." He hugged my waist, "if you don't want to forgive me, that's fine, I'll understand."

I patted his back, "I'm not leaving, but I really don't know if I can find it in me to fully forgive you."

"I love you so much Stephanie." He choked, "when you tried to leave that day, I got worried and flipped out. I can't stand to think of you leaving me, and me having nothing."

"Steph, you get the bed, and he has the couch." Carla reentered our bedroom, "come on Paul."

He went with her and shut the door. I lied in the bed alone, crying. A few hours later, I felt something hit the bed and made me jump.

"Babe, its only me." Paul's trembling voice answered, "I promise I'm only here for the bed." He hiccuped, "I'm sorry."

"Let me see your hand." I motioned for him to lay next to me, "I want to forget about everything and focus on what's coming."

He hesitantly held his hand out, "Steph, I can't touch you." He whined when I pulled my shirt up and placed his huge hand on the lower part of my belly, "that's the baby?"

I nodded, "yeah, that's our baby." I moved his hand over, "there's one." I took a deep breath, "and over here," I slid his hand over to my right side, "here's baby...number two."

"There's two in there?" His face lit up, "we're having twins? That's great!" He felt my stomach more without my hand guiding him, "are they boys, or girls?"

"The doctor said there's one boy and one girl. We should look into finding some names." I turned towards him and kissed his lips, my arms going around his neck and my leg went between his, feeling his hard-on on my knee, "there's always this small, issue when I'm pregnant."

"What's that?" He asked, stuttering, "babe, we can't do this, the minute you whimper, my mom will be in here faster than I can say your name."

"Paul, when I'm pregnant, I get like really horny, and I really want you, badly. I love my body."

"I haven't been around for you when you're pregnant, so, I guess I wouldn't know." He looked away, depressed-like, "I'm gonna be here for these ones, I promise."

"Well, why don't you do me a favor, please." I whined, "Paul, I am begging you to have sex with me. I can try to forget everything that you've done, please just..."

"I can't Stephanie." He sat up and backed away from the bed, "I know what'll happen, I'm gonna be all turned on and you'll say no. I'm an asshole, I can't stop."

"I won't tell you to stop. I promise." I pleaded, "Paul, please, come here. After all the months of you being mean to me, I want you to be nice."

He slowly returned to the bed and kissed me, "I can't hurt you again. I just can't."

I whimpered, "Paul, you won't hurt me. Just come to bed and make me happy." He hesitantly got in bed, lying beside me, "come on."

"No." He trembled, "no, Stephanie. Can't we just go to sleep and talk in the morning? I don't understand how I could be so mean to you for eight months, and you still want to sleep with me." He curled up behind me with his arm draped across my side and his face in my neck. He gently stroked my hair with his other hand, "I love you."

I smiled, "I love you too Paul." I laid there, grinning for a few seconds, "maybe you should go to the doctor to see if you're like, bipolar or something."

"I've already gone to the doctor for that. I'm not bipolar. I know that for sure." He cleared his throat.

"Oh." I couldn't think of what to say, so I sat quiet, hearing him breathe behind me.

"I know why you're wondering. My drastic mood changes right? I'll tell you about those tomorrow, when I can think."

"Well okay." I closed my eyes and fell fast asleep.


End file.
